Saoirse Ronan is taking another stab at a young adult novel adaptation, this time in Meg Rosoff’s How I Live Now. Not even a year on from the disappointing Stephenie Meyer adaptation The Host, How I Live Now is a much better effort but still won’t be troubling the likes of Twilight or The Hunger Games for the young adult fiction crown.
Set in the not too distant future, where the world is gearing up for a non specific global catastrophe, Daisy (Ronan), is shipped off to a heavily defended England to live with her cousins in the countryside. Despite playing the archetypal annoying, displaced American teen with issues, she soon finds herself falling for her cousin Edmond (George MacKay ).
How I Live Now is a film with a split personality, the first half a teen love story – all soft focus, montage laden, barn sex. And let’s just gloss over the fact that she’s sleeping with her cousin. Then all of a sudden they are evacuated by the military and the film morphs into a 28 Days Later/Cold Mountain scenario with Daisy and her young cousin Piper fighting to get back to get back to Edmond and the farm.
Some of the most interesting aspects of Rosoff’s novel have fallen by the wayside, such as certain characters’ telepathic abilities. Director Kevin MacDonald has drawn some fantastic performances from his young cast.
Given the film’s subject matter, How I Live Now is nowhere near as emotionally engaging as it should be with little sense of excitement or trepidation. You are left with the nagging feeling that the greater emotional subtext was left on the pages of Rosoff’s book.
[rating=3]
Vikki Myerscough
Genre:
Drama, Thriller
DVD/BD Release Date:
10th February 2014 (UK)
Rating:
15
Distributor:
Lionsgate UK
Director:
Kevin MacDonald
Cast:
Saoirse Ronan, Tom Holland, George MacKay, Harley Bird
Buy How I Live Now: [DVD]
Discover more from
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.